The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to systems and methods for creating printed information for a device, and, more particularly, to systems and methods that create labels using data obtained through object recognition of the device.
Labels are used in most, if not all, aspects of our lives. They come in many different shapes, sizes, colors and materials, and are created and applied to or coupled to most any device for most any purpose. For example, labels can be used to provide identification of a device, to provide instructions, warnings, and specific information about the device.
Labels can be generated manually, i.e., writing information on a label and applying it to a device, or, a label generation and printing system may be used. Generally, for label generation and printing systems, the label size and type must first be determined for the device to receive the label, and, once determined, is then manually entered into a label creation software program on a computer or other electronic device. Then the information intended to be displayed on the label is manually entered, edited as needed, and the software is instructed to print the label to a label printer configured to print the specified label.
In numerous applications, labels provide a critical role in identifying a large number of related or connected devices. For example, in the telecommunications industry, labels are used on patch panels to not only identify individual patch panels, but also in the identification of the large number of circuits in the patch panel and in the telecommunications system. The patch panel can include any number of ports, which are usually of the same or similar type, and the ports are typically arranged on blocks. Each port and/or block are then individually and uniquely labeled to identify the specific circuit that the port is being used for. Labeling schemes such as this helps to assist a user when viewing the patch panel and trying to understand the circuit configuration for modifications and/or repairs, for example.
In order to create the labels used on a patch panel, a user has to know specific details about the patch panel, such as the number of ports, the physical size and spacing of the ports, the number of blocks on the patch panel, and possibly procedural information. When the patch panel is to be labeled in the field, which is common, these specific details are not always readily available. The user is required, at a minimum, to physically measure the ports so as to determine the correct size and spacing for the labels that will be used to uniquely identify each port. In a crowded closet containing many patch panels and associated wires, taking measurements may not be a convenient option. Using incorrect values leads to wrong label dimensions, wasted labels, and a less than desirable user experience.
Therefore, a need exists to minimize or eliminate manual data gathering to determine the specific details about a device to avoid gathering incorrect information and to reduce or eliminate the drawbacks of generating labels or other device related information based on the incorrect information.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide systems and methods where a user uses a mobile device equipped with an imaging device and object recognition capabilities to automatically generate spatial data for a device in an image, and then automatically populate label creation software with the generated data.